Comparison of the bleeding potential of vampire bat salivary plasminogen activator versus tissue plasminogen activator in an experimental rabbit model.

Background: Vampire bat salivary plasminogen activator (Bat-PA) has significantly greater fibrin specificity than any of the fibrinolytic agents currently in clinical use. This study tests the hypothesis that avoiding fibrinogen depletion may protect against the hemorrhage induced by plasminogen activator treatment.

Methods And Results: Bat-PA was compared with tissue-type plasminogen activator (TPA) in a randomized, prospective, and blinded study using a rabbit ear puncture model of fibrinolytic bleeding.